1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an improvment on a data recording apparatus adapted for a camera having a recording device for recording data, such as a title of an image, on a recording medium, and also to an improvement on a camera having such a data recording apparatus.
2. Description of Related Art
In photo-taking an image, it is advantageous to have some title apposite to the image recorded along with the image. Titles thus recorded are useful in reviewing images or pictures in prints or on a picture display made by a CRT or the like. Besides, such titles enhance the memorial value of the images recorded. The cameras of the kind having devices for recording titles along with images have been developed in various manners.
In Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. Hei 8-292478, there is disclosed a camera arranged to prestore a plurality of ready-made titles together with numeric codes of the respective titles. This camera permits selection of one of the ready-made titles by means of a selection switch so as to have the title recorded along with an applicable image on a photographic film. The title selected is magnetically recorded on the photographic film in a numeric code which corresponds to the title. Then, the numeric code recorded on the photographic film is reproduced by a photograph printer and is converted into a title (character information) corresponding to the numeric code. The photograph printer thus prints the title on a photograph print.
Further, in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. Hei 9-22056, there is disclosed a camera arranged to permit the camera user to prepare a desired title (hereinafter referred to as an arbitrary title), instead of a ready-made title, by using a keyboard having a plurality of keys. With the arbitrary title thus prepared, the camera records the arbitrary title on a photographic film in a character code formed by using one byte for each character.
Further, in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. Hei 8-54678, there are disclosed a camera capable of handling both the ready-made titles and arbitrary titles, a method for displaying such titles and a method for preparing such titles.
Further, in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. Hei 6-45944, there is disclosed a camera which is provided with means for preparation of an arbitrary title, means for correlating the arbitrary title with a specific date or time, and clock means. According to the arrangement of the camera disclosed, upon arrival of the specific date or time, the arbitrary title is imprinted on a photographic film. This technique is disclosed also in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. Hei 8-171134.
Further, in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. Hei 6-303522, there is disclosed a camera-integrated video tape recorder (called a camcorder) which is provided with clock means and is arranged to preferentially display such a ready-made title that suits to the result of a time count made by the clock means.
The camera disclosed in the above Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. Hei 8-292478 permits the camera user to have a title recorded with a simple operation by just selecting a desired title from among the prestored ready-made titles at the time of taking a photograph. Another advantage of the camera lies in that, since the title is recorded in a numeric code which corresponds to the title, the title can be recorded within a relatively small recording space, i.e., with a relatively small recording capacity. However, the recordable titles are limited to such titles that are acceptable by a photograph printer in respect of correlation between numeric codes and titles. Therefore, according to the arrangement of the camera, only impersonal titles are recordable.
Further, the camera disclosed in the above Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. Hei 9-22056 permits recording an arbitrary title. With that camera, therefore, personal titles can be recorded. However, since characters forming the arbitrary title must be inputted one by one, the title input operation is not simple and requires much labor. Further, since one byte must be used for recording one character, recording one title as a whole always requires use of a large recording space.
Further, the camera disclosed in the above Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. Hei 8-54678 is arranged to be capable of handling both the ready-made titles and the arbitrary titles as desired. However, that camera also necessitates the camera user to perform a troublesome operation in inputting an arbitrary title.
Further, in the cases of cameras disclosed in the above Japanese Utility Model Publication No. Hei 6- 64544 and the above Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. Hei 8-171134, a specific title is automatically recorded upon arrival of a specific date or time. Those cameras thus excel in operability for title recording. However, they also necessitate a troublesome operation in inputting an arbitrary title and in setting a specific date and/or time. They have another shortcoming in that, since the titles are arranged to be optically imprinted on a photographic film, only such a title that consists of a few characters can be imprinted. A further shortcoming lies in that, once a title is recorded, the title cannot be corrected nor deleted later.